Jerry “The Knife” Lewis was my man for the harder jobs. Strong as an ox and dumber than one, he was a picture of efficiency.
Our target was one Madam “X”, society lady. She had a voracious appetite for reading, yet demanded to touch the books she read. She hit the library every day.
So, there was Madam “X” in front of the classics, but where was “The Knife”?
It took me 20 minutes to find him surrounded by Cats in Hats and Dogmen.
And, just like that, I lost him.
Today Jerry “The Wizard” Lewis is a bestselling children’s’ author.
***
word count = 100
Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo by @ Ted Strutz. If you want to join or see other stories, go to the inlinkz linkup.
Trent's World (the Blog) 
Exchanging his knife for a wand and blood for ink is probably a good career move.
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I think it was a great career move. I mean, talk about your dead end job… Now he can write his own future.
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Oh brilliant. A better use if his talents !
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*of
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A much better use of his previously hidden talents!
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That’s a big turn-around!
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Yes, a huge one! Sometimes there is a lot of power in the written word, I just wasn’t aware that Dr. Seuss held such power!
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knife to wizard, that’s quite a transformation
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A huge transformation…. But, then, never underestimate the power of the written word ;)
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A reformed character indeed, from hitman to a children’s mentor.
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A huge leap from one extreme to the other, but those words were so enticing…
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I love that Jerry the Knife is reformed by the library – and the reference to Madame X needing to touch her books.
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I’m with Madam X – sometimes when you pull a book off of a shelf, you just know… And poor Jerry. Because of his size he was always misunderstood, but he finally decided to follow his muse. Thanks.
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Not only does he lose his best hit man but he’s still get to deal with Madam X. Not his best day. Loved this.
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I think Madam X got away that day – saved by the enchantment of an open book ;) Thanks.
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Got lost in a 100 word story! Enjoyable! Thanks.
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Thanks!
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😁😂🤣
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Poor Jerry, people are often judged by appearance ;) lol
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Dear Trent,
Ah the power of the written word. Fun story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The written word can be compelling and powerful. The pen is mightier and all of that. Thanks, Rochelle.
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Great happy ending, Trent! And well spotted for Dr Seuss!
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You can’t have a children’s library without Dr. Seuess being prominently displayed… A lot of our Friday Fictioneer stories seem to twist towards murder and mayhem, so I wanted to twist away from it this time. Thanks!
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Yes, Dr Seuss is a staple. Irritatingly so, sometimes…’I will not eat green eggs and ham, I do not like them, Samiam…’
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lol. Back in the 1980s Jesse Jackson read Green Eggs and Ham on Saturday Night Live. He read it as if doing a sermon. It was hilarious…
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I thought that was Mack. And I now know that every children’s book author has a past. Well done, Trent.
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I was going to say they made a song about Mack, but in another comment I mentioned that Jerry (Jeremiah) wrote about frogs so much that some people thought that Jeremiah was a bullfrog. Was a good friend of mine… Thanks.
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So, what was his bestselling book titled?
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If the idea is to write what you know, and you only know assassination… hmmm. He is called “The Wizard”, so I will “Froggy Find Magic in a Felt Fedora” by Jeremiah Lewis (You do know that Jeremiah (Jerry) was a bullfrog. Was a good friend of mine ;) ).
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Libraries are places of transformation. I’m wondering who hired Jerry….
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Yes, they can be, and places of resistance of oppressive powers ;) I think his old boss was Professor Stiletto.
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lol! I thought it was an administrator or politician, but Professor Stiletto makes sense ;)
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I was thinking mobster, but, then, some politicians are mobsters, so I guess that would have worked as well. Of course, those members of the resistance that hang out in the library that I mentioned earlier are usually opposed to the mobster politicians…
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If only all the “bad guys” could be redeemed by the love of good books! Unique take on this prompt.
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I think a lot of those bad guess might be redeemable if caught with a good book before they become “bad”. By the time they get to Jerry’s age, well, glad he found inspiration…. Thanks.
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Love it. The power of books right there!
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Yep. He wasn’t so ox-headed, he just needed some light to shine in there… Thanks, Iain.
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I love this, Trent! Killer lost to the written word…
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Thanks, Dale! The pen is mightier and all of that (Maybe his new name should have been Jerry “The Pen” Lewis ;) ).
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Hahaha! Yes, indeed!
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